Health Information Management (HIM) is the field at the intersection of healthcare, technology and business, generating accurate data to guide patient care, billing and policy decisions. This subset of the health industry is vital as it ensures patient privacy as well as precise billing and insurance support.
For those interested in pursuing work within HIM, a study program can be beneficial for understanding the role, best practices and new technology. Those already working in adjacent careers can also benefit by enhancing their knowledge and becoming more valuable to potential employers by earning a degree in this area.
Texas State University’s Master of Health Information Management (MHIM) online program, for example, offers flexibility and expertise for future HIM personnel and leaders. This program offers development in applicable skills like data analytics, business, finance, compliance and informatics, within a HIM framework.
Furthermore, this program is nationally recognized and helps prepare students for jobs like director of information, data analyst and health information manager. Importantly, students do not need previous experience in a clinical setting to enroll. Once completed, graduates will be ready to take the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam and start seeking jobs in this burgeoning field.
What Is Health Information Management?
According to the HIPAA Journal, HIM protects, collects and analyzes patient information in order to “ensure the quality and availability of the patient health information while complying with legal requirements and organizational policies.” It is an integral part of both the structure of private and public healthcare systems, while also providing some oversight as well as patient support.
Although administrative tasks are central to the role, it has far-reaching effects for patients as well as other healthcare professionals. Healthcare information can help inform medical research, policy and service planning by providing up-to-date statistics about what patients are experiencing and what they need.
For this reason, a strong understanding of safe data management and privacy concerns is essential, along with a grasp of data management software. Candidates will have the chance to work through this field of knowledge and use these tools when enrolled in a degree program on HIM.
Why Is Health Information Management Important?
A recent article, also published in the HIPAA Journal, explored the data around information breaches in the healthcare industry over the last year. Though it appears that generally data breaches are declining year by year, there are still a considerable number of individuals affected by them.
The article states that, “In 2024, an average of 61 large healthcare data breaches were reported each month.” A notable case was July 2024’s Change Healthcare data breach, a “devastating ransomware attack” which affected 190 million case records. According to the American Medical Association’s President, Bruce A. Scott, this breach “all but incapacitated our healthcare system.”
There continues to be fallout from the attack, including for healthcare providers who were unable to submit claims for months afterward and had to borrow money or use personal funds to keep their practices operating. This, of course, has far-reaching consequences for patients and providers.
Scott reiterates that such data breaches cannot be allowed to happen in the future. He says: “The AMA believes clearinghouses, health plans and their intermediaries should immediately undertake a rigorous risk-assessment process that encompasses disaster mitigation, cyber incident recovery, and business continuity planning to support the resilience of critical health care functions and systems.”
What Can You Do With a Health Information Management Degree?
By pursuing an education in the relevant areas, such as through a HIM degree, graduates can look forward to careers with behavioral health organizations, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, doctors’ offices, government healthcare agencies and more, according to Indeed. Graduates will be prepared to fill these in-demand positions after graduation.
As the Change Healthcare data breach shows us, jobs in HIM are more vital than ever as industry reels and reassesses how to prevent costly breaches from occurring again. HIM staff are pivotal in the fight for data security and patient support in today’s data-driven landscape.
Learn more about Texas State University’s online Master of HIM degree.
